It is a Bid Day, Fan-fucking-tastic

Obviously I am not a fan of bid days for several reasons. First of all my dad turns into a major A-hole. I understand he is stressed and under pressure but that doesn't mean I appreciate the hollier than thou attitude.

Rule #1 on bid days, unless you are calling about the bid you will not get to talk to anyone. So when I answer the phone and someone says that they were just talking to Mark and had a quick follow up question, it isn't so far off base that I assume they were talking about the bid. I didn't so much need an ass chewing because they were calling about another project. The bid is still 2 hours away too, he usually doesn't start morphing into assholio until 45 minutes prior to the bid going in so this will no doubt be a stellar afternoon.

The other reason I don't like bid days is because I am the only one who really doesn't have a major role in the process. I am support staff/fetch girl/phone bitch. I try to stay out of the way and be as helpful as possible but for the next 2 hours I will be answering the phone and retrieving faxes and thats it. I can't even get online or listen to NPR because I am at a different work station. Hopefully the mail will get here soon, that will give me something to do.

And now I must be going before the assholio starts looking for me...I think I need a Dr. Pepper too.

I Got a New Cactus!

Isn't it gorgeous? I was walking through the store with it and literally had a half a dozen people tell me it was beautiful while I beamed like a proud mama, and the best news was it only cost 20 bucks!

Oh happy find:)

Fresno Is Getting Just a Little Bit More Famous

The current issue of Sunset Magazine arrived yesterday and while I was thumbing through it to my very pleasant suprise found an article on Fresno. Not only Fresno though, the Tower District. It features Chicken Pie Shop, Landmark, Retro Rag, Tower Theater etc. and it wasn't just a blurb but took up 2 pages including several photos. I thought I could find a link to it online but I haven't been able to find it so if anyone is interested I can scan it tomorrow. It was cool to see Tower getting some recognition though.

Not featured in Sunset Magazine was a hole in the wall chinese restaraunt that I went to on Saturday night. Kirin Restaraunt is located in the southwest shopping center at Cedar and Herndon and although the restaraunt itself isn't much to look at, the food was fantastic and really that's all anyone really cares about.

I was dining with my parents and 4 family friends so we ordered everything family style and there was nothing I didn't like. The specials that day were honey shrimp with walnuts and some fish dish that I can't remember the name of but it was lightly breaded and fried and absolutely melted in your mouth. My favorite dish though was the shrimp with walnuts. The sauce wasn't overly sweet and it also had chunks of pineapple and the walnuts were roasted. It was delicious.

We also had several typical dishes like Happy Family, Sizzling rice soup and spicy tofu, all of which were excellent. I can't say anything negative about the food whatsover, it was all good. The atmopshere left something to be desired and it seemed that everyone who came in while we were there (aside from the big family next to use) was over the age of 70, but it is also sort of what you expect for a strip mall chinese food restaraunt atmosphere wise, but the food will impress and please you.

I would very much reccomend Kirin Restaraunt. Next time you are in the mood for some asian cusine give it a try, I doubt you will be disappointed.

Kirin Restaraunt
6769 N Cedar Ave
Fresno, CA 93710

(559) 431-6122

I Bought A House!

After a good 6 months of looking at at least 50+ houses, I finally found the perfect house for me. I am a picky and patient girl and refused to settle for something that I didn't absolutely love and the minute I saw this place, I got that special feeling in my tummy and I knew it was the one.

Although the house had only been on the market a few days there was already an offer on it so I had to act fast and I made my own offer, was countered and I happily accepted their counter offer and ended up getting a great deal. I love the neighborhood, I love the yard, I love the house and I can't wait to have my own place! I look forward to getting my hands dirty and doing yard work on the weekends as well as make improvements inside like removing all the wallpaper, painting every room and hopefully being able to make some improvements to the kitchen as well.

I may not be living in Tower anymore but I will certainly still be around, no doubt boring you to death with talk of light fixtures and drought resistant plants (you have been warned).

Here is the MLS lisitng which has some pictures of the exterior, the living rooms and kitchen.

I can't wait to move in, I already started packing this weekend:)

Hey Adam

Have you seen the the weather forecast for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday? I hope you are going to be in town... ;)

Did He Just...

I was watching the Colbert Report last night when Colbert was doing his "Better Know a District" segment with the Fighting 18th and he makes a hand gesture I really didn't see coming (and if you watch the clip, pun intended):

After a solid week off at the gym due to traveling and the stomach flu I happily made my way back to Centerpoint today. All is right in my world again. Although it can be difficult for me to take time off from exercising and my regular diet, it is good for the body to rest and recover from hard training. Taking breaks is still something I can't do without being forced to though so I guess I will just have to go on vacation every few months or so:)

While in Austin I stopped by Half Price Books to find some reading material and found The New Encyclopedia of Modern Body Building for 10 bucks! It is normally around 36 so I was quite pleased, especially since this is the bible of bodybuilding and fitness written by Mr. Olympia himself, Arnold Schwarzenegger. His performance as a politician and a sexist aside, he knows his shit when it comes to fitness. The 790 page monstrosity probably builds muscle just by lugging it around but it is also filled with comprehensive information on health, nutrition and dietary supplements to help build muscle, lose fat and maintain optimal health. It also includes strategies and tactics for competitive bodybuilding, but don't worry I don't have any ambitions to be a competitive body builder so I will probably skip that chapter;)

I am all giddy to start reading this. The pictures alone are completely fascinating to me. It is truly amazing what some people can get their bodies to look like with a lot of hard work and discipline. As much as bodybuilders get a bad rap for being meatheads you really have to have something going on upstairs to be able to understand the science behind building muscle and to do it effectively. It also doesn't hurt to be genetically gifted.

I think I may need a bookcase dedicated to just exercise and nutrition now. My library is coming along nicely.

I am back from Austin and overall I had a great time. I got to hang out with my sister and talk and catch up which is always wonderful. Friday we got to go out on the boat and although it wasn't warm enough to go for a swim it was still nice and relaxing. Saturday we went for a hike in the greenbelt which was all overgrown and beautiful. We also saw a lot of hikers, runners and bikers which always makes me long for something like that in this area, however geographically that just doesnt work. I would still take the Sierra Nevadas over the Greenbelt for a hike any day, I just need to get up there more often.

We also had some great food until Sunday came along and both my sister and I came down with the stomach flu. It was pretty much a 24 hour thing but it made my last day and a half in Austin completely useless as I was in bed the entire time. It was a bummer of an end but the beginning made up for it. I am just very thankful that I didn't come down with it the day I was supposed to be traveling because that would have been completely miserable and I probably would have cried.

Back to reality though and to make the transition from being on vacation to back to the old grind. I swear the older I get the harder that transiton is. It is good to be back though, I definitely heart Fresno.

Tattoo Revisted

It has been almost a year since I got my peacock but I have been looking at it a lot lately thinking that something is not quite done. That and tattoos are highly addictive.

What I have been noticing is that the peacock is kind of floating there, I feel like it needs something to stand on. The image that I keep going back to in my mind is a branch that mimicks the curve of the peacocks feathers around my sun. I also think I would like to include a few flowers on it to pretty it up. See my very rough sketch on a picture of my current tattoo below:


I like the symetry and I like the way it wraps aroundand incorporates the sun more.

For the flowers I was thinking of having Gladiolas, which symbolize strength of character and sincerity and is also my birth months flower.

But I also like dahlias:


And the lotus flower (which is also what I have now):


I found this painting that I like elements of as well:

I really like the style of branches in this painting, twisted and multi colored. Plus the flowers are similar to what I had in mind. I think I would rather have magenta or purple flowers though, with multi colored detail.

So this is what I have been mulling over. I have no intentions of getting it anytime soon but I am thnking I am going to start putting some money aside. Happily it shouldn't be as expensive as the peacock and it shouldn't take as long.

I would be happy to hear your thoughts and/or suggestions and ideas.

Mama's Got A Brand New Bag!

After Adam posted about the Golden Girls necklace (which I bought but have yet to receive), I got to looking at the Etsy website where it came from. It is truly a fantastic site with a lot of handmade, unique items that I feel really good about supporting.

Knowing I was about to take a trip I started looking at carry on bags that I cold travel with and found this little gem that arrived today:




I love the colors and although the apples on the inside might be a little teachery, I think it would also be a great Farmers Market bag. It is the perfect size for a few magazines or a book, a snack and some water for the trip. It is also very well made and sturdy with a couple of useful pockets on the inside. And it only cost $30, which is about on par with a similar bag I might buy at Target, but a lot more unique.

This is the designers website. If you buy a bag or any other item from her and write "Referrred By Kasey Wilson" in the message to the seller I will get a free bag after 5 referrels. Yeah I don't expect you all to jump on that by any means but if it should come up, there ya go.

Move over This Is Why You Are Fat and your vomit inducing Sausage Fatty:



There is a new slimmer kid in town, This Is Why You Are Thin. Following the concept of This is Why You Are Thin, This is Why You are Fat presents "Inspiring images of the things that make and keep us healthy".

I have to admit that this wesite is not nearly as entertaining as the disgusting yet strangely fascinating atrocities from This Is Why You Are Fat. However, they often include recipes which can be helpful and some of the pictures are awfully pretty to look at as well.

For example Sprout Salad:


And Blood Orange Salsa:


But there are also a lot of uber health food, like raw food recipes and vegan food yada yada. Not really my style but I suppose it will keep you thin.

On a somewhat related note, has anyone ever tried Kimichi? I thought that it looked interesting and it is good for you but it sounds like it might be really spicy so I was curious. If anyone is at a place that serves it let me know! I don't even know where any Korean restaraunts are in Fresno, although I am sure they exist.

I am an avid NPR listener and have quite a fondness for their "This I Know" segments where people write short testimonials about a belief they have or the particular way that they look at the world. Recently I heard one from Muhammad Ali, read by his wife, Lonnie Ali that I found particularly poignant.

I Am Still The Greatest
I have always believed in myself, even as a young child growing up in Louisville, Ky. My parents instilled a sense of pride and confidence in me, and taught me and my brother that we could be the best at anything. I must have believed them, because I remember being the neighborhood marble champion and challenging my neighborhood buddies to see who could jump the tallest hedges or run a foot race the length of the block. Of course I knew when I made the challenge that I would win. I never even thought of losing.

In high school, I boasted weekly — if not daily — that one day I was going to be the heavyweight champion of the world. As part of my boxing training, I would run down Fourth Street in downtown Louisville, darting in and out of local shops, taking just enough time to tell them I was training for the Olympics and I was going to win a gold medal. And when I came back home, I was going to turn pro and become the world heavyweight champion in boxing. I never thought of the possibility of failing — only of the fame and glory I was going to get when I won. I could see it. I could almost feel it. When I proclaimed that I was the "Greatest of All Time," I believed in myself. And I still do.

Throughout my entire boxing career, my belief in my abilities triumphed over the skill of an opponent. My will was stronger than their skills. What I didn't know was that my will would be tested even more when I retired.

In 1984, I was conclusively diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. Since that diagnosis, my symptoms have increased and my ability to speak in audible tones has diminished. If there was anything that would strike at the core of my confidence in myself, it would be this insidious disease. But my confidence and will to continue to live life as I choose won't be compromised.

Early in 1996, I was asked to light the cauldron at the Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta. Of course my immediate answer was yes. I never even thought of having Parkinson's or what physical challenges that would present for me.

When the moment came for me to walk out on the 140-foot-high scaffolding and take the torch from Janet Evans, I realized I had the eyes of the world on me. I also realized that as I held the Olympic torch high above my head, my tremors had taken over. Just at that moment, I heard a rumble in the stadium that became a pounding roar and then turned into a deafening applause. I was reminded of my 1960 Olympic experience in Rome, when I won the gold medal. Those 36 years between Rome and Atlanta flashed before me, and I realized that I had come full circle.

Nothing in life has defeated me. I am still the "Greatest." This I believe.

I have always been drawn to people who hold the steadfast belief that they are capable of greatness and won't stop until they have achieved their goals. I envy their unwavering confidence. Muhammad Ali was no doubt a genetically gifted individual, but it was certainly his attitude that got him to achieve greatness because when his body failed him, his attitude didn't. I couldn't have more respect for individuals who when faced with an enormous challenge refuse to be defeated by it.

Final Score Bets

Here is what we picked for tonights total score:

My Dad - 160
Ed - 155
Me - 154

What was funny was I sent Ed a text askng what number he picked and he actually chose 154 too, but kindly changed to 155 when I told him we picked the same number. If the final score ends up being 154, I am guessing he might be super annoyed though.

The way I came to my number was I obviously knew that for the 3 way tie breaker to go into effect, Michigan would have to win. If Michigan wins, I am betting on it being a close game. Michigan averaged in the 70s for their games throughout the tournmament and UNC averaged a little higher at about 80. So my guess for the final score would be Michigan ahead by 2-4 points or 78-76, which equals 154.

Things have changed since I went to Church last

Granted it has been almost 20 years since I regularly attended church (I don't really count that time in high school where I was trying to belong to something and went to youth bible school camp thing otherwise known as Hume Lake). However, I was walking back from the gym on Sunday and I was passing St. Therese and couldn't tell if some of them were going to Sunday Mass or to a Sunday afternoon backyard BBQ. Casual jeans and shorts were quite common, and I even saw quite a short, tight jean mini skirt on a girl in her teens that would have made me rather uncomfortable at Starbucks, let alone church.

Now I know that we are a much more casual society than we ever have been and I am not even religious but I feel like people should dress a little nicer and more appropriately when attending church services, particularly at a nice catholic church like St. Therese. And although I am sure that some famlies that attend those services don't have a lot of money, the people I saw were not lacking money based on the brand and current styles they were wearing. Of course there were also people and families who were dressed nicely and respectfully, particularly the older couples who were just so darn cute in their hats and ties. Maybe I just have a fondness for dressing up and I like the retroness (yup, I said retroness) of the old school style of wearing your Sunday best. It is interesting how religious standards can change with changes in society.

In any case, I also came across this picture of a young actress (I think she is in Gossip Girl) this morning who is actually is not going to a Blondie look a like contest but going to church services. I also question her choice in church outfits.

Maybe it is an antiquated way of thinking but I don't think fishnets should be allowed in church. The rest of her isn't terrible though. Much better than the mini denim skirt.
Do I really care, no. I was just suprised a bit when I noticed how much more casual church goers are these days.

The Championship game is on tonight between Michigan and UNC (go Tar heels!) and currently we have a three way tie between my dad, Ed and myself. I hope that UNC just wins it outright to simplify matters (and I want to win) but if they don't, we need to make our prediction of final total combined score.

My dad has written down his total score but I have not looked at it because I have not made my guess yet. So Ed if you want to email me your score or text me, I promise I won't look before I have made my decision. Or we can send our picks to a third party. Whatever you want to do, just let me know.

Anytime I am woken up in the morning by my alarm and I am in the middle of a dream, I am groggy just about the entire day. 9 out of 10 times I wake up before my alarm goes off and I don't need to use it and I feel pretty wide awake for 5:50 AM. But if I am the middle of the dreaming portion of a sleep cycle and my alarm goes off I wake up confused and out of it and I find it really hard to wake up. Caffeine helps but only a little. So weird. I want to go back to sleep.

Anyone Going to Tulare or Gilroy Soon?

Between now and April 16, at all Banana Republic Factory stores when you buy three or more items from the factory store, you will receive 50 percent off your entire purchase. If you buy one item, you get 30 percent off, and if you buy two items, you receive a 40 percent discount. Banana Republic Factory stores already have killer deals so these are pretty big savings. It is probably a good thing there isn't one near me...

Link Time!

I haven't done this in awhile so here ya go:

50 Animals Who Hate Baths - Best Week Ever

Word of the Day: Frathole - Giggle Sugar

Comic Confrontations: Judge Judy Vs. The Real Housewives Of New York (this one is for you Heather)- Jezebel

At Least I exist, Pretty Boy - Fuck You, Penguin

I Hope You Don't Have a Magical Day! - Found Magazine

Goal Setting

“The major reason for setting a goal is for what it makes of you to accomplish it. What it makes of you will always be the far greater value than what you get.” - Jim Rohn

When you embark on any type of fitness program it is important and helpful to have goals. Most people have very general goals in mind usually having to do with things like improving their health, losing X amount of pounds or looking good in a swimsuit when they go on vacation. This is a good way to begin, but setting smaller more specific goals can be even more beneficial and is often overlooked.

The problem with only setting a larger overall goal is that it is often very daunting and overwhelming. Smaller goals are more manageble and attainable and help to build your confidence as you continue to achieving your overall goal. It is the forest for the trees mentality. If you only look at the big picutre you aren't seeing and celebrating the smaller things you have acheived on the way and appreciating the journey. It is the process of getting to your goal where you learn about yourelf and you discover what you are truly capable of acheiving. Through personal experience and the experience of others I have been able to witness the utter joy of doing something you never thought you would be capable of doing and I wish that everyone could experience that.

My sister recently ran her first half marathon, quite successfully I might add. For months and probably years I told her she should do it and that she could do it, but she was very reluctant because for someone who has not run long distance before, 13.1 miles sounds like an impossible feat. But I knew my sister well enough to know that she was capabile both mentally and physically to do it so I kept pestering. Her husband is also a runner and was also pestering her about it. It didn't matter what we said though, she needed to know for herself so she started small. In the back of her mind she had the goal to run a half, but she didn't focus on that right away. She focused on small goals, like running 45 minutes without stopping. Once she did that her confidence in herself rose and she set a slightly higher goal, like running 8 miles without stopping. This process continued until she worked her way up to 13 (and I think she went up to 14 miles)and he knew she could do it and she signed up for the race. Those smaller incremental goals gave her the confidence to go for the larger goal and she successfully achieved it.

In addition to improving your confidence by setting and achieving small goals, it is also just makes you happy! You know how hard you worked and you did it. I can remember emails and phone calls from my sister that just oozed happiness when she ran 8 miles and then when she told me she ran a full 13 miles without stopping. If you only focus on the large goal, you can forget to celebrate and experience the joy in acheiving the small goals. Enjoy the moment and celebrate your success. Brag about what you have done, anyone who has a problem with it either can't see the joy it has caused in you or are just jealous of that joy. The people who really care will want to celebrate with you because they can see how happy it has made you.

When you are starting a fitness program you may be discouraged that you aren't able to do certain things or are more behind when it comes to fitness then you would like to be. That is quite normal, everyone starts at that level and feels that way but don't let it dishearten you. Comparing yourself to other people will only make you feel bad so instead focus on yourself. We are all unique in our abilities and attributes and if you are working hard you will see improvement.

So if for example you want to have a bigger, more musuclar upper body by the time summer arrives so you can flex and attract all the ladies, focus on the actual exercies. Get on the bench press and if you can only do 3 reps of a certain weight then your smaller goal could be to work your way up to 10. Once you get there, then your next goal should be to bump the weight up 5 or 10 pounds. Focusing on that and not being obsessed with looking like a guy in the magazine you can probably never even look like because he is genetically gifted and airbrushed. You will eventually fulfill your own potential and look he best you can look and that is something you can be proud of.

Right now I have two goals that I am working on. First, I want to be able to do unassisted pullups. Right now I am using the assisted pullup/tricep machine to get me there. I can currently do 10 reps a the 9 setting. I will keep either increase reps or decrease the amount of assistance until I can do one on my own.

I also want to be able to do this exercise, the natural glute ham raise:

Right now I am doing a modified version that looks like this (I put my feet under a machine though):


Focusing on these small and specific goals keeps me excited about going to the gym. I know that each workout brings me closer achieving my goals. They may not be as huge as running a marathon but in all honesty I will be just as excited when I am able to do a pull up.

So when you are starting or continuing to improve your physical fitness, have a large goal in mind but to get there set smaller goals along the way. It will keep you motivated and build your confidence. If you go into a program with no goals however, you are basically setting yourself up for failure. Be focused and you can achieve everything you want.

Go Green Death!

A soccer coach in Scitute, MA resigned recently over an email he sent to the parents of the 6-7 ear old girls he was going to be coaching. It has been controversial because it was not appreciated by the parents who complained enough to prompt him to resign, however a lot of other people find him a victim of political correctness. I will let you read the email and see what you think:
THE COACH’S ORIGINAL E-MAIL
Congratulations on being selected for Team 7 (forest green shirts) of the Scituate Soccer Club! My name is Michael and I have been fortunate enough to be selected to coach what I know will be a wonderful group of young ladies. Chris Mac will also be coaching and I expect the ever popular Terry to return to the sidelines. Our first game will be Saturday April 4 at 10:00AM. There will be a half hour of skills followed by a 1 hour game, so total time will be 1.5 hours. All games will be played on the fields in the front of the High School. Each player will be required to wear shin guards and cleats are recommended but not required. A ball will be provided to each player at the first meeting, and each player should bring the ball to games and practices. There is no set practice time allotted for the U8 teams, but I will convene with the coaches to determine the best time and place. If there are cancellations due to rain, all notices will be posted via the Scituate Soccer Club website, no calls will be made (though I will try to send an email). Attached is the Schedule and Code of Conduct. After listening to the head of the referees drone on for about 30 minutes on the dangers of jewelry (time which I will never get back), no player will be allowed to play with pierced ears, hairclips, etc. We used to tape the earings, but that practice is no longer acceptable. Please let me know if your child has any health issues that I need to be aware of. My home phone is 781 XXX XXXX, my cell number is 781 XXX XXXX, and I check my email frequently. According to my wife, my emails get too wordy, so for those of you read too slowly, are easily offended, or are too busy, you can stop here. For the others……

OK, here’s the real deal: Team 7 will be called Green Death. We will only acknowledge “Team 7” for scheduling and disciplinary purposes. Green Death has had a long and colorful history, and I fully expect every player and parent to be on board with the team. This is not a team, but a family (some say cult), that you belong to forever. We play fair at all times, but we play tough and physical soccer. We have some returning players who know the deal; for the others, I only expect 110% at every game and practice. We do not cater to superstars, but prefer the gritty determination of journeymen who bring their lunch pail to work every week, chase every ball and dig in corners like a Michael Vick pit bull. Unless there is an issue concerning the health of my players or inside info on the opposition, you probably don’t need to talk to me. Coach MacDonald has been designated “good guy” this year.

Some say soccer at this age is about fun and I completely agree. However, I believe winning is fun and losing is for losers. Ergo, we will strive for the “W” in each game. While we may not win every game (excuse me, I just got a little nauseated) I expect us to fight for every loose ball and play every shift as if it were the finals of the World Cup. While I spent a good Saturday morning listening to the legal liability BS, which included a 30 minute dissertation on how we need to baby the kids and especially the refs, I was disgusted. The kids will run, they will fall, get bumps, bruises and even bleed a little. Big deal, it’s good for them (but I do hope the other team is the one bleeding). If the refs can’t handle a little criticism, then they should turn in their whistle. The sooner they figure out how to make a decision and live with the consequences the better. My heckling of the refs is actually helping them develop as people. The political correctness police are not welcome on my sidelines. America’s youth is becoming fat, lazy and non-competitive because competition is viewed as “bad”. I argue that competition is good and is important to the evolution of our species and our survival in what has become an increasingly competitive global economy and dangerous world. Second place trophies are nothing to be proud of as they serve only as a reminder that you missed your goal; their only useful purpose is as an inspiration to do that next set of reps. Do you go to a job interview and not care about winning? Don’t animals eat what they kill (and yes, someone actually kills the meat we eat too – it isn’t grown in plastic wrap)? And speaking of meat, I expect that the ladies be put on a diet of fish, undercooked red meat and lots of veggies. No junk food. Protein shakes are encouraged, and while blood doping and HGH use is frowned upon, there is no testing policy. And at the risk of stating the obvious, blue slushies are for winners.

These are my views and not necessarily the views of the league (but they should be). I recognize that my school of thought may be an ideological shift from conventional norms. But it is imperative that we all fight the good fight, get involved now and resist the urge to become sweat-xedo-wearing yuppies who sit on the sidelines in their LL Bean chairs sipping mocha-latte-half-caf-chinos while discussing reality TV and home decorating with other feeble-minded folks. I want to hear cheering, I want to hear encouragement, I want to get the team pumped up at each and every game and know they are playing for something.

Lastly, we are all cognizant of the soft bigotry that expects women and especially little girls, to be dainty and submissive; I wholeheartedly reject such drivel. My overarching goal is develop ladies who are confident and fearless, who will stand up for their beliefs and challenge the status quo. Girls who will kick ass and take names on the field, off the field and throughout their lives. I want these girls to be winners in the game of life. Who’s with me?

Go Green Death!

KINAHAN’S RESIGNATION

Team, After careful consideration, I have decided to resign from all coaching responsibilities related to Team 7 this season. Unfortunately, it has come to my attention that some parents and the Board of Scituate Soccer failed to see the humor in my pre-season email. For the avoidance of doubt, the email was largely (albeit not completely) meant in jest and with the goal of giving the parents a chuckle while enduring yet another round of organized youth sports. It was also meant as a satire of those who take youth sports too seriously for the wrong reasons. My overarching goal is the well-being of my players, and I do not want any player to feel uncomfortable, nor do I want to see the team disbanded because of a lack of active players. Therefore, while I’d prefer to go down swinging, it’s really about the kids and it just makes more sense for me to take the year off.

While I respectfully disagree with the Board's interpretation of my comments, I believe that they should be commended for their immediate actions to address the concerns of the offended parties. The Board’s action proves that the chain of command is functioning as designed. Board members volunteer their valuable time and I do not plan to add to their already significant workload. I also respect those parents who were offended as I am sure they acted in the best interest of their children. While I may question their sense of humor, I have no right to question their judgment regarding their children. Perhaps we may even have beer (I’ll buy) and a couple of laughs at the end of all of this.

And while I am sorry some people failed to see the humor, I do not apologize for my actions; I wrote it, I think it's funny and I do have a distaste for the tediousness of overbearing political correctness. Furthermore, I was serious about parental involvement as I do believe parents should cheer and encourage players (in a positive fashion obviously) so that the kids feel the excitement that comes from team competition. And most importantly, I was completely serious that I want to see each young girl develop a positive self image, self-confidence and the will to succeed in any endeavor that she desires. Lastly, I have added some comments to my initial email (in capitals) to clarify several points that may have been viewed as offensive.

Sincerely,

Michael A. Kinahan

Go Green Death!

You probably know where I stand on this, but I think that parents overracted to this email. Granted he probably could have been more thoughtful when first introducing himself to parents because he didn't know how some parents might take his humor and philosophy, but the parents did't even really give him a chance to respond or even show them how he coached before they got all up in arms and wrote him off.

This statement:
"Lastly, we are all cognizant of the soft bigotry that expects women and especially little girls, to be dainty and submissive; I wholeheartedly reject such drivel. My overarching goal is develop ladies who are confident and fearless, who will stand up for their beliefs and challenge the status quo. Girls who will kick ass and take names on the field, off the field and throughout their lives. I want these girls to be winners in the game of life. Who’s with me?"

really resonated with me. Yes they are young but we teach boys at this age to be confident and fearless. I wonder if it were a group of boys if there would be such uproar? Probably not because boys can take it, but god forbid we treat girls the same way.

I would also like to note that parents of girls he coached last year had nothing but praise for him. One comment from where this was posted reads:

"Our daughter played on Coach Kinahan's team last year; His conduct was always positive and inspirational. Our daughter loved going to practice and playing in every game where she came out of her shy shell and blossomed on the field due largely to Coach Kinahan's encouragement. Keep your head high Coach!"

There were 2 other similar comments and no comments from parents complaining about having him as a coach.

It is disheartening to me to see things like this. I believe that sports can teach you a lot about life and make you a better person and it seems to me that this coach knew how to do that well and now a group of girls may not get that chance. Sad.